moomaw



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1" H. E. MOOMAW.

GAR COUPLING.

' No. 539,389. Patented May 14, 1895.

431% any 10 Model.) H B MOOMAW 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

CAR UOUPLING. No. 539,389. Patented May 14, 1895.

74 12/10? SE8 Q6 HENRY E. MOOMAYV, OF SALEM, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO I O. L. 82; R. S. STEARNES, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letterslatent No. 539,389, dated May 14, 1895.

Application filed March 14, 1895. serial No. 541,791. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY E. MOOMAW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in car couplings of the J anney type of drawhead, and it has for its object the provision of improved means for relieving the pivots of the coupling-j aw and locking-block of all pulling strain, thereby materially strengthening the coupler, and to improve the general construction of couplers of thistype with particular reference to the means for locking and unlocking the couplingjaw and the lockingblock.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional View of my improved coupler. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the drawhead, the operating parts being removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of my lockingblock. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the end of a car, showing two forms of mechanism for releasing the coupling-jaw. Fig. 6 is a detail side view of the coupler. Fig. 7 is a detail View of the couplingjaw, and Fig. 8 a sectional view on line 8 Set Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings by letter, a designates the draw-head which is of substantially the same form as the Janney couplers, and is provided with the pivoted couplingjaw b of the usual Janney construction. This jaw is pivoted loosely on its pivot pin, as shown, to permit of a slight lateral motion of said jaw on its pivot.

Formed on the upper and lower sides of the nose of the coupling jaw b are vertical projections or lugs b which when the couplingjaw is in its coupled position, rest in grooves b formed in the inner sides of the arms a of the draw-head between which the j awb is pivoted. These projections are formed with the square vertical faces 19 which abut squarely against square shoulders 17 formed by the walls of the grooves 19 and limit the lateral movement of the coupling-jaw on its pivot.

The forwardly extending arms a of the upper and lower sides of the coupling-jaw and work in the recesses m, their square ends abutting against the shoulders m when the coupling-jaw is open or in its uncoupled position and limit the outward movement of said jaw, preventing it being jammed in its open posi tion by being thrown too far around in its outward motion.

Pivoted in the drawhead on the vertical pin 0 is the locking-block cl. This locking block extends across the mouth of the coupler and is formed with the approximately square ends d (1" one of which d abuts against a corresponding approximately square shoulder a formed on the drawhead. The inner end 19' of the nose of the coupling jaw b is square as shown at b and in itscoupled position abuts against the squared end d" of the locking block as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The pivot pin 0, where it passes through the block d, is square and is tapered toward its lower end andpasses through a square'tapered opening in the locking block; and where it passes through the upper and lower portions of the drawhead it is round. The openings in the drawhead for said rounded portions are slightly larger than said rounded portions of the pin and permit of a slight lateral motion of the block at and its pivot pin. It-will thus be seen that the pulling strain on the coupling-jaw will be transferred to the locking block, and through said block to the shoulder a. on the drawhead, entirely relieving the pivotal pin of the locking-block of any strain whatever, which insures the accurate and easy working of said block as its pivot will not be forced out of place or in any way bent or injured. Part of the strain brought on the coupling-jaw will, because of the slight lateral movement of said jaw on its pivot, be transferred to the projections b and through them to the draw-head proper, thereby relieving the pivot of said jaw, as is manifest.

The rear curved side of the nose of the coup.- ling jaw strikes the forward curved side of the locking block in the act of coupling, and forces it rearwardly, turning it on its pivot in the well known manner.

To force the locking block forward to its coupled position after the nose of the coupling-jaw has passed it in its rearward movem ent, I provide a coil spring 6 which surrounds a rod f, one end of said spring bearing on the forward side of an outwardly projecting extension g of the locking-block, its other end.

spring e and the extension g of the locking block if desired.

At the outer corner of the squared end (1" of the locking block, on its upper and lower sides, are formed vertical projections c which extend into segmental grooves or slots 0/ formed in the upper and lower sides of the drawhead. Vhen the block dis in its locked or coupled position these projections bear against the inner walls of the segmental slots and against the shoulders a formed at the forward ends of said slots, and thereby aid in relieving the, pivot pin 0 of the strain, and limiting the forward movement of said block.

In order to provide for the removal of the lockingblock fromthe drawhead I connect the slots a at their forward ends (by outwardly extending grooves 0. with forwardly extending grooves or whose forward ends open into groovesb as shown, at the forward end of the drawhead. To remove the locking block from the drawhead it is simply necessary to remove its pivotal pin, and then move said block so that its projections will follow the grooves a and a and b, as is evident.

At the lower end of the squared portion of the pin 0 is formed a shoulder c which is adapted to rest on the lower portion of the drawhead and prevent said pin dropping through the opening therein should the pin pass sufficiently far through the locking-block. Below the drawhead the pin 0 is squared, as ato, for the reception of an operating lever r, whichlever is secured in pl'acebya nut s which is screwed on the lower end of the pin fitting it in a tapering hole in the locking block, any wear of the block about the pin maybe taken up by screwing up the nut s on the'lower end of the pin. This may be done until the shoulder o abuts against the lower part of the drawhead.

The upper end of the pin 0 has formed integral therewith an anglelever it, one of whose arms is slotted and extends rearwardly, its other arm being formed with a series of holes and extending substantially parallel with the end of the car. The upper end of the pin may, if desired he formed similar to the lower end, and the lever h may be secured in the same manner as lever 'r', as shown in dotted lines. Suitable washers are secured on the pin a above and below the drawhead to prevent water and dirt entering the pivot openings.

Ad justabl y secured to the arms of the an glelever h at one of their ends are chains 2,1. The other endof the chain which is secured to the laterally extending arm of the lever is connected to a horizontal shaftj which is journaled in hearings on the end of the car, said shaft being provided with suitable operating armsj. One of thebearings is formed with an angular opening 7' and adjacent said bearing the shaft is of an angular formatiomj", corresponding to the form of the bearing. The shaft isloosely mounted in itsbearings and is capable of a lateral movement. To look the block (1 out of operative position, the chain i is woundon the shaft j, and said shaft is moved laterally'until the angular portion engages the angular opening in the bearing. This mechanism is adapted for use on freight cars.

The chain which is secured to the rearwardly extending member of the angle-lever hasits other end secured to the usual form of uncoupling lever when the coupling is in use on passenger cars. It will thus beseen that by the use of the angle-lever h the coupling is adapted for use on freight or passenger cars without the least alteration, the coupling levers of the passenger cars being the same as those already in use on such cars.

The use of the straight shaft j is advantageous on freight cars as the necessity of the brakeman passing between the cars is obviated, the uncoupling being done from the sides of the cars. Another advantage of the shaft is that the operating chain 2' may he left slack to prevent it being broken by the drawhead swinging around or when it is drawn outwardly by thestrain.

The object of the lever r on the lower end of the pin a is to adaptthe coupling without alteration, for use on coal and flat cars where it is desirable to work the uncoupling mechanism from under the drawhead.

By providing the lever h and connecting its lateral arm with the shaft j, when the coupling is employed on freight cars, it will be seen that should the usual rear fastenings of thedrawhead (not shown) be pulled out the chain will turn the locking block and uncouple the cars before the drawhead is pulled ontirely out of its place, thereby preventing it being pulled bodily from the car and dropped on the track. It will thus be seen that the chain connecting the lateral arm of angle lever hto shaft 7' performs the double purpose of uncoupling the cars when the lever j is turned by hand and also of automatically uncoupling the cars in case of accident to rear fastenin gs of drawhead.

When the coupling is used on passenger cars, the chain 41 which is connected to the lateral arm of lever it above described, or the chain connected to lever a" on under side of drawhead, will be fastened to any convenient point on or under the platform, sufficient slack being left in them to admit of free longitudinal motion of drawhead in connection with the usual buffing. springs. In case of breakage of rear fastening of drawhead either of these chain connections will automatically uncouple the cars,- as soon as the slack in the chain is taken up, thus retaining the drawhead in its recess and preventing it from dropping on the track.

The object of slotting and perforating the outer ends of the members of the angle lever is to admit of the adjustment of the operating chains to or from the pivot of said lever in order to regulate its leverage and the speed of operating the locking block.

It will thus be seen that I provide an extremely practical car coupling. By construct ing the locking-block and the coupling-jaw as described I secure a solid bearing across the drawhead, which prevents the pin of the lockingblock or the block itself and the pivot of the coupling-jaw being injured in any way.

By providing for a slight lateral movement of the locking-block as described it will be seen that said block will be forced squarely against the shoulders on the drawhead and yet it may readily, and without friction between the block and said shoulders, be turned on its pivot. I-Ieretofore, in this class of couplers, the objection has been that the great strain .on the pivotal pin would soon bend it sufficiently to prevent the spring actuating it with the necessary promptness. This objection is avoided by'setting the pin loosely in the draw head and bringing the strain all on the block itself and the drawhead.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. A car coupling consisting of a drawhead formed with the square shoulder a, a coupling-jaw pivoted therein and capable of a slight lateral movement in addition to its swinging movement, a projection formed on said coupling-jaw, said projection entering a groove formed in the drawhead and abutting against shoulders formed by the walls of the groove, a locking-block formed with the vertical end d, a pivot-pin therefor, said pin being rigidly secured to the locking block and loosely mounted in thedrawhead whereby the locking-block and its pivot pin will have a slight bodily movement in addition to its swinging motion, and means for oscillating 'der 0/, and devices carried by the projecting end of the pivot pin for oscillating the looking block, substantially as described and fo the purpose set forth.

3. A car coupling consisting of a drawhead,

a coupling jaw pivoted therein. and capable of a slight lateral movement on its pivotal pin, a projection btformed on the coupling-jaw and entering a groove b in the drawhead, and abutting against shoulders formed by the walls of said groove, a locking-block pivoted in the drawhead and means for oscillating said locking block, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth. 4. A car coupling consisting of a drawhead provided with the grooves a a and a? and shoulder a a coupling-jaw and a lockingblock pivoted in said drawhead, vertical projections formed on said locking-block and working in the grooves a' and adapted to bear on shoulder a and, to pass through groovesa and a when desired, substantially as described.

5. In a car coupling, a drawhead of the form described provided with a groove a and with a groove or channel connecting said groove with the front of the drawhead, a locking-block pivoted in the drawhead and provided with a projection working in the groove 0/ and in its normal position abutting against the wall which forms the forward end thereof, and adapted to pass through the groove or channel which connects the groove a' with the front of the drawhead, and a coupling-jaw and means for oscillating the locking block, substantially as described.

6. A car coupling consisting of a drawhead of the form described provided with the groove a, and shoulder a, a coupling-jaw and a locking-block pivoted in said drawhead, the locking-block being formed with shoulders dd" and projections 01 and extension g, a spring working between the extension g and the shoulder a on the drawhead and means of oscillating the locking block, substantially as described.

\7. A car coupling consisting of a drawhead, a pivoted coupling-jaw, a pivoted lockingblock, the pivot of said block extending above the drawhead, an angle lever secured on the upper end of said pivot, and suitable operating devices connected to said angle-lever, for oscillating the locking block, substantially as described.

8. A car coupling consisting of a drawhead 9. A car coupling consisting of a drawhead, a coupling-jaw, a pivoted locking-bloelgthe pivot of said block being tapered downwardly where it passes through the locking block, said block being formed with a correspondingly tapered hole, a shoulder a formed atthe lower end of the tapered portion of the pin, a squared portion 0" thereon below the drawhead, a threaded portion below the portion 0',

a lever adapted to fit upon the squared portio'ri c't'; and a nut to clamp said lever in place and-11 10 draw the pin downwardly, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY E. MOOMAW. \Vitnesses:

JOHN M. THORNE,

J. JOHN HENDERSON. 

